US military 'using private spy planes' to keep watch on China

The US military has hired private civilian aircraft to carry out 'spying missions' on Chinese activities in the Asia Pacific, a report says.

Three such planes have carried out surveillance flights, according to the Beijing-based South China Sea Probing Initiative think tank.

They had flown from air bases in Okinawa in Japan and Manila in the Philippines since and had carried out more than 150 patrols in the East China, Yellow and South China seas since March.

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The aircraft were hired from Tenax Aerospace and Meta Special Aerospace, the study said.

China claims sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, which is also claimed in whole or in part by Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Deploying the civilian spy planes would help boost the US military's operational capabilities in the region, the report said.

The think tank described the plane's surveillance near China as being "like a test to see Chinese reactions".

But it may also reduce tensions and reduce the risk of conflict in the region.

"There is more flexibility in using jets from private companies and it can reduce diplomatic tensions compared with military aircraft [carrying out the same activities]," the report said.

"This also signals that the US will step up its presence in the Indo-Pacific region through a collaboration between the military, coastguard and private security sector."

China ignored a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated most of its territorial claims in the South China Sea, but has encountered persistent push back from the US, its allies and China's Southeast Asian neighbours over its moves to cement its control in the disputed area.

- With AP